The Long Road Home
by Cheyennes
Summary: This story is set after 1x10 (Desperate Measures): The team has managed to retrieve Jaz but her injuries are significant. They work to keep her alive and get her across the border where help awaits them.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Yet another story written while I was on vacation last week. I had a whole list of tasks I was supposed to accomplish around the house but writing fanfic was much more fun. :)

One of my short stories got a lovely guest review and he/she requested a story written in the multiple POV style. I took one of the longer stories I had just about completed and converted it to that format. Hopefully he/she is still checking out the story board because here is the requested POV story. Enjoy!

Jaz's POV

It was all I could do not to cry out my pain during the transport. But I wouldn't give my enemies the satisfaction. So many parts of my body hurt but the pulsing pain in the upper left of my abdomen was quickly moving from extremely painful to excruciating. When the van skidded to a halt, only my training made me take advantage of the situation and strangle my captor. It was nothing more than muscle memory. As my vision grayed out I felt my chains being cut and heard Top's voice and McG's concern. They injected me with something that staved off the darkness. I wasn't feeling particularly grateful at the moment. Unconciousness had promised a relief from my pain.

As they were about to load me into our escape vehicle, my stomach heaved and I vomited on the ground. The taste of copper in my mouth warned me about the blood a second before both Top and McG started cursing. I was lifted into the van and placed sidewise on Top's lap. McG shined a light in my eyes, touched my clammy skin, took my pulse, and listened to my heart. He leaned over me blocking out everything else going on around us.

"Jaz, I need you to tell me how you feel."

My vision blurred as I tried to focus on him.

"Hot, kind of floaty, nauseated."

He started a physical exam checking my limbs before moving to the center of my body. He gently touched my left side and I immediately lashed out. Top grabbed my hands and pulled them across my upper body hugging me from behind to keep them in place. As McG pulled up my shirt in the front I tensed.

"Geezus, Jaz!"

I knew what my skin looked like. I had been beaten all to hell and I was sure in the last couple hours the colors had only become more spectacular. He palapated my lower abdomen, and while it hurt, it was nothing like when he pressed into the top upper left side. I arched up, involuntarily crying out my pain, while Top tried to keep a hold of me. Even after McG stopped pressing I couldn't catch my breath. Activity picked up around me and a sharp pain in my left arm was just one more hurt to add to my collection. I felt warmth start to flow through me and I stopped fighting them. It was then that I realized McG had started an IV in my left arm which accounted for the pain I had felt. I struggled to stop panting for air while I felt sweat rolling down my face. I felt terrible.

After some time passed I realized that Top was no longer holding my arms in place. He was now brushing my hair away from my face. Pressing my cheek to his chest. When I glanced up at him he looked worried. McG even more so. McG bent down in my line of vision to assure he had my attention.

"You're bleeding internally, Jaz. I'm going to need to fix you."

I shook my head trying to keep my thoughts clear while the medication in my system attempted to take everything away. We didn't have that kind of time.

"Leave me behind. You need to get out of this country."

I could already feel Top shaking his head.

"We aren't leaving you behind."

A lot of conversation was going on around me. The bits and pieces I caught confirmed that they weren't going to leave. Dialogue was going on between the members of the team and between our team and Command. McG kept touching me and updating Top with my vital signs. I was no medical expert but I knew the numbers were all wrong. I wasn't going to make it. I was dying and they were going to die with me because they refused to leave me. It would be my fault. I wasn't even aware of the tears dripping down my face until Top wiped them away and tilted his head down so I could see him.

"We're going to take care of you, Jaz, and then we'll go home. Don't worry about us. I want you to save your strength."

I would have told him that I didn't have any strength to save but the darkness took away my opportunity.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Thanks for all the nice reviews. I'm happy that you enjoyed the first chapter and I hope you continue to enjoy the story as it unfolds.

Dalton's POV

When Jaz's eyes rolled back into her head I could barely restrain my panic. I looked at McG and was sure my expression reflected my intense concern. He quickly started to reassure me and provide his assessment.

"The medication put her to sleep. Unfortunately we've got problems because I'm pretty sure her spleen is ruptured. I need to get it removed ASAP or she's going to bleed out."

Well, I wasn't going to let that happen. We needed a safe place to operate and we needed it now. While I held her in my arms I made several calls to some former local contacts. Courtesy of a CIA operative who owed us one, we were directed to a safe place to hide. An underground clinic of sorts for their agents to patch themselves up as needed. Jaz wouldn't be able to patch herself up so I hoped McG was up to doing field surgery on someone we all cared about.

When we arrived to the clinic I could have put her on one of the gurneys in the room but I kept her in my arms. While I didn't want to entertain the possibility, just in case these were her last moments, I wanted to hold her. Too many of my friends had died alone.

This whole mission had gone so far sidewise that it was like something you would read in a novel. Unfortunately for us all this wasn't fiction.

The scent of bleach surrounded me as Preach and Amir hurriedly attempted to wipe down every exposed surface. Their goal was to try and keep the surgical field as sterile as possible. While they worked on that task, McG focused on sterilizing his equipment.

I looked down and was surprised to find that Jaz was awake again. Staring up at me, and our surroundings, in confusion. She didn't look good. Her skin was far too pale and her lips were starting to look suspiciously blue.

"We found a new place to hang out, Jaz. We're going to get you fixed up and then get out of here. McG is going to take good care of you."

"Okay," she whispered.

She started swallowing convulsively and I knew she was going to vomit again. I rolled her to her side and grabbed the basin while Preach pulled her hair back. The retching was practically bending her body in half. By the time she was done emptying her stomach, she was sobbing from the pain. She tried to curl up in my arms but she didn't have the strength. This time the basin contained nothing but blood. She was running out of time and we all knew it.

"I'm ready, Top."

McG's voice was calm and assured. I needed that as much as Jaz. I stood up with her in my arms and laid her on the gurney hanging her bag of fluids on the IV pole. Her face showed how much pain she was in and I wished I could take it all away. But that was beyond my abilities. Preach moved over to hold her hand and provide some much needed emotional support.

"I'll be right back Jaz," I assured her as I walked out of her view to scrub my hands and arms. I had assisted McG in the past and was prepared to do so now.

I could hear Preach and McG both talking to her in reassuring voices. Preach in particular was making a point of controlling any anxiety she might have about the upcoming procedure. God knew I had enough anxiety for all of us. McG had already given me a syringe of Fentanyl which was enough to put her out for the surgery.

After I scrubbed, I stayed out of sight slowly injecting the medication into her IV line while Preach continued to talk to her. We watched as her eyes closed, fluttered open once, and then remained closed. Preach leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before he whispered, "God bless", and stepped out of the way so I could step in. I pulled her shirt up to expose the hard blackened area on her torso and quickly poured disinfectant over it. Seconds later McG made the first incision and we watched as blood poured out of it releasing some of the internal pressure. Once we pulled back the skin and muscle we were both happy to see that her spleen was lacerated rather than ruptured. A nearby rib was broken and we speculated that was the cause. McG moved methodically to close the tear. Slowly but surely blood stopped flowing into her abdominal cavity. He rinsed the area, confirmed his work was complete, and quickly closed the wound.

Once the actual surgical procedure was done, Amir laid down on the gurney next to her to give her the blood she desperately needed. He was the only one of our bunch that was her blood type. He took her hand in his and I watched the life giving fluid flow from one to another. Unfortunately, we all knew Jaz would need more blood than Amir could safely provide. But until we successfully completed our exfil, his blood and the fluids we were pushing into her would have to be enough.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. This chapter is pretty short but I wanted to give McG a voice. We'll pick up with Jaz in the next chapter which will be longer.

McG's POV

While I had been steady as a rock during the procedure, I could barely stop my hands from shaking now. Operating in the field was never an ideal situation. Operating on the woman I thought of as my little sister just made it worse. Her life was literally in my hands.

Seeing her lying so still and pale on the table was difficult. She was normally a tiny ball of energy. I knew I needed to keep myself calm and centered. She needed me at my best if she was going to make it out of this country. There were so many things that could go wrong for her between here and our home. I was careful to restock my medical bag from the supplies that were available to me. I thought of everything that could go wrong with Jaz and tried to make sure I had what I would need to treat it. There were some things I would have liked to have that just weren't available to me. I mentally crossed my fingers that those complications wouldn't occur.

After I had cleaned my instruments, and packed them away, I checked her pulse and blood pressure and both had started to rise into the low end of normal. I ended the transfusion and encouraged Amir to drink the juice and cookies that I had found in the cabinets. Based on those supplies, others had clearly used this lab for blood transfusions in the past.

Top caught my attention, "How long, McG?"

"I would say four hours, at the bare minimum, before we can move her. Even then we'll need to be very careful with her so that we don't cause more damage."

"Understood."

I didn't envy Top his position at the moment. I knew he felt more for Jaz than he cared to admit to us or to himself. However, he didn't have the luxury of solely focusing on her needs. He needed to continue coordinating with Command to make clear headed decisions so that we could all make it home.


	4. Chapter 4

Jaz's POV

I was awake yet I couldn't open my eyes. I had no dominion over my body. There was still a considerable amount of pain though at least my nausea had improved. I extended my senses and noted that two people near me were clearly sleeping based on their breathing patterns. Another was sitting close to me and took my hand in his. I knew it was Preach the second he touched me. I heard him leaning close to my ear before he whispered,

"Hey, Jaz. I can tell you're starting to wake up. McG fixed you up and we're going to get out of here soon. No worries."

I heard the sound of footsteps approaching and Top quietly asked, "How is she?"

"I'm pretty sure she's starting to come out from under the anesthesia. Vitals are still the same as before McG started his power nap. How's our exit strategy coming?"

"Pretty good. They've been looking for us on the streets but they've started moving their focus to airstrips. Noah is working to get some ground resources to us."

By the time he finished his update, I was able to open my eyes but the light was so bright that I quickly closed them. I heard Preach move around the room and then Top's voice suggested that I try again. This time when I opened my eyes the light had been dimmed considerably. I was able to glance around and noticed how tired they both looked. I couldn't see much more from flat on my back but moving around was not going to be an option. Intense pain was lurking in the distance.

I cleared my throat and whispered to them both, "I need a gun."

I could tell they weren't the first words they had expected from me but they should have been. I didn't like to be unarmed if I could help it and they all knew it.

"I think we'll hold off on that a bit," Top told me.

I frowned at him. While I sorted through my arguments of why he should give me a weapon, he was coming up with his own for why he shouldn't, and he beat me to it.

"Jaz, you're just coming out from under anesthesia. I'd like your brain to be a bit clearer before I arm you."

I struggled to gather my thoughts enough to find the right words to convince him otherwise but I was distracted by McG. He was rustling around on the floor and then stood to look over Top's shoulder at me.

"How's my favorite patient?"

"Sore."

"I bet. Your spleen was lacerated, Jaz, and the bleeding was causing pressure on your other organs. Your rib is broken in the same area so movement will need to be cautious. Understand?"

"Uh huh," was all I could say. In an enemy State I couldn't count on the opportunity to be cautious but I would do my best.

I let my eyes drift closed again. I was so dizzy. I didn't think you could be dizzy while lying flat on your back but that just showed what I knew.

"Still awake, Jaz?" McG asked softly.

"Yes, but I'm dizzy. I feel like the room is moving."

"I'm not surprised. Your blood pressure is on the low side. You might need more blood once we get somewhere safe."

I wondered where that was and when we would get there. Yet at the same time the thought of getting there made me sweat. I wasn't sure how I was going to manage. I was in no condition to help them. The medication I had been given must have caused every thought in my head to be reflected on my face.

"Stop worrying, Jaz," Top instructed, "We've got this covered. Director Campbell and her team have worked out a decent exit strategy for us."

I couldn't help but worry. I was good at it. But I wasn't able to focus on my worries for long, as Preach informed us that we were about to start our exfil.

"Top, I think our ride has arrived."

"Thanks, Preach."

I felt McG move closer to check my vitals again. I opened my eyes to see him smile.

"Ready to go home?"

"Yes."

"Me too. I'm giving you some extra pain medication. Please don't fight it. You need to let go."

"Why?"

"I don't want you to keep tensing your muscles as we move you around. I've got you stapled up pretty well but it would be best if you slept through as much of the trip as possible. We have a long way to go."

"Top?" I called.

He came around into my view. Once again he could read my thoughts. He knew that I wanted him to say that I was fine and that McG shouldn't worry.

"You heard our medic, Jaz. In medical matters he outranks me so he's your boss at the moment. Close your eyes so we can get this show on the road."

Top's words were the last I heard until strange noises woke me up. It sounded like. . . sheep? I opened my eyes to see a strange looking ceiling. I wanted a better view, so I tried to push myself up to my elbows, but my gasp of pain meant McG was immediately there to push me back down.

"Stay flat Jazzy. Everything's fine. We've stopped for the day on this farm so we can all rest. We're down in the root cellar which is why you are under so many blankets. It's a little chilly."

Chilly was an understatement. It was really cold which just made the needs of my body more urgent.

"I have to use the bathroom."

"I'll get you a bed pan."

"You **most definitely** will not."

I don't know what McG was thinking. I was pretty sure hell hadn't frozen over and that was the only way I was using a bed pan.

"Jaz, don't give McG grief," Top's voice echoed from the corner.

"It isn't grief, Top. It's how it's going to be."

I was willing to do a lot when we were out on a mission but I was not willing to do this.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Thanks again for all of your reviews. I've really enjoyed writing this story and sharing it with you. I hope you continue to enjoy it.

McG's POV

I could tell Jaz was upset and I hadn't meant to make things harder on her than they already were. Clearly the whole bed pan thing was a non-negotiable point for her. Maybe if we had another woman with us she would have been more amenable but that wasn't our reality. I quickly decided that I would let her win this battle. I was sure there would be more coming during this trip.

"Top, if you'll open the doors I'll carry her up to the house."

"I can walk," she tried to assure me.

I turned back to look at her and almost burst into laughter at the irritated look on her face. Thank goodness I restrained myself. She wouldn't have forgotten.

"I know you can but I don't want you to make the effort. Being upright is going to put a strain on your incision and other injuries. You have to realize that you would normally be prone in the hospital for several days after a procedure like the one I did. We've already had to move you around more than I'd like. Either you use the bed pan or you let me carry you. Your choice."

"I don't like either choice, but if I have to choose, you can carry me."

"Good choice."

I unhooked her bag of fluids and placed it on her chest.

"You're job is to keep ahold of that, okay?"

She nodded her understanding. I slid my hands under her and picked her up as slowly and carefully as I could. Even being extremely gentle I could tell I was hurting her but she didn't ask me to put her back down. Fortunately the cement stairs to the surface were easy to navigate and I got us over to the house with a minimum of fuss. I carried her just inside the bathroom doors and slowly lowered her to sit on the edge of the tub.

"Okay?" I asked before removing my hands from around her back.

"Yes, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Thanks for carrying me."

I lowered myself to my knees in front of her and took her hands in mine.

"I wanted to have a private moment to talk to you anyway."

She locked her eyes to mine, "Is there something you haven't told me?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I'm worried that you may have been hurt in ways that you don't want to talk about. I want to know if you need additional medical attention that you might not want the others to know about."

When her eyes filled with tears, that she quickly blinked away, it was all I could do to keep my expression calm and supportive. Inside I was terrified of what might have happened to her. I had worked with both male and female soldiers who had been sexually assaulted and I knew how brutal captivity could be. It was the one fear I had been carrying since the moment I saw her being escorted away from us in the hotel.

"No, you know about all of my injuries. They enjoyed beating on me and cutting me but it never progressed to that kind of an assault. I think that might have been in the cards when I got wherever I was going."

Just knowing that she had to experience that kind of fear broke my heart. I wanted to go back and shoot everyone again. Or give her a gun and let her shoot everyone. Yes, that would be much more therapeutic for me and probably her. Her next words pulled me away from my dark thoughts by bringing my attention to more urgent matters.

"I really have to go to the bathroom, McG."

I got to my feet and walked back to the door pulling it shut behind me as I told her, "Take your time. Call me when you're ready to head back."


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Hope everyone is doing well and not suffering too badly from The Brave Withdrawal Syndrome. I'm hoping to have a longer chapter ready tomorrow.

Jaz's POV

I watched as McG closed the door behind him. This trip was probably not my best idea. I managed to get to my feet and shuffled my way over to the sink. I hurt like hell. I got a look in the mirror and I realized I looked like hell too. I didn't even look like myself between the swelling and the parchment paper color of my skin.

"It's just temporary," I assured the damaged me in the mirror.

I couldn't be back to normal fast enough. Just standing and holding onto the sink was fast depleting what little strength I had. Calling McG for help was looking like a better option every second but I refused to let myself give up. I needed to take every opportunity to work on my strength and endurance.

It seemed to take an eternity, but once I finished what needed to be done, I sat back down on the edge of the tub before lowering myself to the floor. The dizziness of earlier was back with a vengence and there was no way I wouldn't have fallen off the tub rim. Probably would have hurt myself even more and then there would be no more bathroom trips for me.

This whole experience didn't bode well for the rest of our escape plan. I needed to be able to do for myself and using the restroom had taken every scrap of energy I had. It was well known that asking for help wasn't one of my strong suits. But this entire experience was proving to be a lesson in just that skill. I closed my eyes, leaned my head on the rim, kept a grip on my bag of IV fluids, and called out for McG. He practically stumbled over me getting into the bathroom.


	7. Chapter 7

McG's POV

I had been hovering near the bathroom door for a while now. I know I had told her to take her time but it had been almost forty minutes. The sound of movement inside was the only thing that prevented me from going in to check on her. When she called out for me she sounded so weak that I rushed to get to her. Unfortunately, rushing inside almost caused another injury, as I barely prevented myself from taking a header over her. I hadn't expected her to be sitting on the floor right beyond the bathroom door. I crouched next to her and took her weight as she leaned her left side into me.

"Time to go," I told her in my no nonsense medic voice before I picked her up.

She was asleep in my arms before we even made it back out the bathroom door. Top trailed behind us, guarding our backs, while we headed back to the concealed root cellar. I tapped my foot on the door and Preach opened it to admit us.

Once I got Jaz settled back on the cot I checked her over. The incision seemed okay after her excursion but she was warm to my touch. I wouldn't be surprised if she fell ill. She had so many open wounds that it was a challenge keeping all of them clean. I had already started antibiotics but was well aware she might need something stronger. I looked up and noticed Preach and Top were both watching me as I covered her with the blankets.

"She's sleeping again. She probably only woke up due to the urgency of her need to use the bathroom. I think she discovered just how weak she was in the process of doing what needed to be done. She was more than happy to be carried back."

"McG, I saw some worry on your face. We might as well hear the problem now rather than later."

Top was right to ask since Jaz's condition could affect our entire exit plan.

"She's starting to get warm even with the antibiotics. She may need something stronger and I've got her on the strongest medication I have to offer."

Top ran his hand over his face. I understood his frustration. Just when we thought things were going our way there was another hit to knock us back. He was clearly trying to adapt our plan to her needs.

"Okay. I think we need to increase our tempo getting her home. McG, it's going to come down to time to rest her versus speed getting her to a place with more medical supplies. You need to tell us our best option."

I knew she really needed rest periods. The end leg of our trip was on foot and I still wasn't sure how she was going to manage. Speeding up the process meant she would have to be up and walking sooner rather than later. But the risk of overwhelming infection was significant.

"Speed. **If** she can manage it. I don't know that she can."

"Understood. The best we can do is try. I'm going to update Command. They'll need someone on the other side of that border by the day after tomorrow."

Top walked away to do just that and I looked at my reluctant patient. I had no doubt her mind would push her body forward with our plan until her body couldn't go on. It would be a fine line between encouraging her to push herself and reigning her in before she killed herself to keep up. But that was a concern for later. For now we all needed to get some sleep because this would probably be the last solid rest we had until we were back to Base.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Thanks for your continued support of this story. I appreciate the reviews since it proves someone is actually reading it. :) Unless the story decides to rewrite itself again, it should wrap up within three to four updates.

Jaz's POV

I felt hands on my body and lashed out. My fist bounced off someone a second before I got my eyes open to see it was McG. We were alone.

"Sorry, Jaz. Just changing your dressing."

"Wake me up before you touch me again, okay?"

"I check your vital signs a lot, Jaz. You'll never get any sleep if I do that for you."

"I guess I mean, if you are going to touch anything other than my arms and legs, wake me first."

"I can do that for you. How are you feeling now?"

"A little better. Not as dizzy as before but I haven't tried moving yet."

"Your blood pressure is climbing which is probably helping."

"Otherwise I hurt but not as bad as it was before."

Top walked up next to McG and looked down at me, "We're going to go home a little faster than we had originally planned. The good news is that we'll be home sooner. The bad news is that there'll be less time for you to rest."

"I'll make it. I don't know how much help I'll be with defense but I'll make it."

"We'll handle defense. I'd like to try and have you stand if you're up to it."

"Sure."

McG and Top helped me sit up on the cot. I stayed there for a minute battling the dizziness that seemed to plague me. Once I nodded they helped me get to a standing position and I took a few unassisted steps forward. I managed to turn back around to face the cot. I had hoped to do more but the dizziness was making it more of a challenge than I had expected. As my balance deteriorated they helped me walk back to the cot and got me settled on my back again.

"You did better than I thought you would Jaz."

I may have done better than they thought but not as good as I wanted or hoped. Already I was paying for that little bit of increased activity.

"When are we moving out?" I inquired.

Top looked at his watch, "Two hours. Get some more rest."

He didn't have to tell me twice. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to sink back under.

Dalton's POV

I stepped to the other side of the room with McG even though I was fairly certain Jaz was already asleep.

"She did do better than I thought. The fact that she can stand and take a couple steps is great. But we're going to have to carry her that last leg," McG started.

"I agree with you. I think the best bet will be to strap her to one of our backs. Like in Kabul. Her wound and the rib will be secured better that way than any other method I can think of right now."

McG agreed that I was right. Preach would probably be the best choice as he was an expert at carrying packs as heavy as Jaz over extended periods of time. He would be the one least likely to be adversely impacted by her weight.

I met with Amir and Preach separately as McG stayed behind with Jaz. I reviewed the plan with them both and Preach agreed he was the best option for carrying her on the final leg. However he voiced a worry that was on his mind.

"Adam, I'm concerned that this could be more than Jaz can handle right now. She could get into real distress before either she or we know it. She gets so locked into her goal that she pushes everything out of her mind including physical discomfort."

"I hear you. Exactly why McG's going to be monitoring her closely. Very closely."

Preach nodded his agreement of the plan and I went to join McG and Jaz to grab a power nap before we headed out.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Thanks again for your ongoing interest in this story. I have to say that the fans of The Brave are much more interactive than any other show that I've posted under. Hopefully our interest will pay off in a second season.

Jaz's POV

I woke to movement and found myself being carried in McG's arms once more. Looking up at the sky I realized night was falling. We were moving out. I glanced around and the guys were blending into the darkening landscape so well that I couldn't pick them out from our surroundings. It seemed like it was just McG and I but I knew the rest of the guys were guarding the two of us. McG smiled down at me and his white teeth flashed in the darkness. I pulled myself closer to him by fisting my hand in his vest. It was freaking cold out here and he was throwing off some nice heat. Just when I was comfortable, I was handed off to Top who was kneeling in the back of a moving truck that must be our current camoflague. He carried me to the back and placed me on a plastic wrapped mattress that really did look as if it was being moved somewhere. It took a bunch of shifting around but I found a comfortable position for myself.

I felt the rumble of the truck starting up and prepared for pain. Surprisingly enough the memory foam of the mattress seemed to be absorbing most of the movement. They rolled the door of the truck down and it was now so dark in the back that I couldn't tell if my eyes were opened or closed. I really didn't like it. It made me feel alone again. Fortunately I didn't have time to focus on the feeling for long since McG came to sit next to me.

"How's the ride?"

"Not bad. I'll have to get myself one of these mattresses."

"Believe it or not, Top suggested it because he has one at home. Personally I figured when we weren't on rotation that he slept on the ground outside."

"Who would want to sleep on the ground if this was an option?"

She knew she wouldn't.

"So, your're feeling okay?"

"A little cold but otherwise okay."

I heard him rustling around and a blanket covered me.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Try to get some sleep. This is the easiest part of our journey."

I figured as much. Most of our missions required sneaking around behind enemy lines on foot. I didn't expect this would be any different.

Dalton's POV

I finished updating Command on our plans and heard the tail end of McG's conversation with Jaz. About 30 minutes later I saw his penlight come on and carefully made my way back to them. It was clear she was sleeping so I kept my voice at a whisper.

"How's she doing?"

"The good news is she's comfortable. The bad news is that her temperature is climbing. It's only a hundred degrees right now but I don't expect it to stay that way. The only thing she said was that she was cold."

"Okay. Keep me up to date. If we have to modify the plan, we'll modify it."

"More rest won't help with this problem. Best if we continue as is and I'll treat her symptoms as they arise."

I admitted to myself that I was worried. One of the last things I wanted to do was drag Jaz across this Country injured. Injured and ill ranked even lower on my list. Unfortunately we didn't have a choice. We weren't safe here.

Fortunately, the hours passed smoothly and by the slowing of our truck I knew we had reached our exit point. It was time to take this show on the road while our contact continued driving the moving truck to its intended destination.

I heard McG waking Jaz to let her know he was about to change her dressing. He checked her vitals and removed her IV. Now that we were on the move keeping her line in place wasn't really an option. He got her to her feet and carefully walked her to the tailgate of the truck helping her sit so I could get her down. I put my hands under her armpits and lifted her, slowly lowering her to the ground in front of me. She grabbed my waist for balance and once she was sure of herself she stepped away holding onto the truck.

McG checked her again and declared her good enough to make a pit stop at some nearby bushes. The rest of the team was taking advantage of other bushes nearby. Never good to have a full bladder and find yourself in a firefight. By the time she rejoined us it was clear she had walked as far as she was going to tonight. McG wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her steady and I walked over to join them.

"Jaz, Preach is going to carry you. We're going to strap you to him like that rescue mission we did in Kabul."

She wrinkled her face at me but we both knew she wouldn't say anything. She was smart enough to know she couldn't make it on the harsh terrain.

I pulled a black sweater from my pack and handed it to McG. He would help her into it as the higher elevations would be too cold for her. She was shivering already. Once she was wearing the sweater, which honestly looked like a dress on her, McG and I picked her up and held her piggyback style to Preach's back. Amir proceeded with positioning the straps and quickly secured her to his back. She could either look over Preach's shoulder or rest her head between his shoulder blades. Once we were certain she was secure, Preach stood from where he'd been kneeling.

"We need to feed you more Jaz. My normal pack is heavier than you," he said as he patted her thigh.

"You okay?" McG asked her.

"Not as good as the memory foam mattress but not too terrible."

"Good. I wish I could say this won't hurt but there'll be some discomfort. In two hours you'll be due for pain medication and we'll see how you're doing," McG said.

Jaz's POV

I gave him a thumbs up and a smile. Ninety minutes later I wasn't smiling and the only finger I'd be giving anyone was the middle one. Geezus I hurt! I was also freaking cold. Cold enough that I was shivering continuously which was just fantastic for my wounds. I had my fist clenched in Preach's shirt, my forehead pressed to his back, and my teeth gritted. I just had to make it 30 more minutes.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: This story is wrapping itself up. Only one more update after this one and our team will be home. Once again thanks for the reviews and follows. I'm glad everyone is enjoying the tale.

Dalton's POV

I was watching Jaz closely and I saw McG doing the same. She clearly wasn't going to say anything but I could tell she was in excruciating pain. Tension showed in every line of her body and Preach knew she hurt. He'd lengthened his stride a while back to make his walk more of a rolling wave for her. Less impact. We weren't even two full hours into a twelve hour walk and it was clear this wasn't going well. Unfortunately, we were limited in what we could do for her.

McG and I were guarding their backs, and keeping an eye on Jaz's condition, while Amir scouted ahead. We were all counting down the thirty minutes until Jaz could safely have more pain medication. The plan had originally been just to medicate her on the go but it was clear that she needed a break. I notified Command of the same letting them know we were going to take a one hour stop. I hoped it would be enough time for her pain medication to be fully in effect.

I watched as McG caught up to Preach and pointed out a small grouping of trees ahead. Preach changed course and I notified Amir to hold his position. Once we were in relative cover, McG unwrapped Jaz from Preach's back and she all but fell into my arms. She pressed her face to my neck. There was no doubt she had a raging fever now. I slowly kneeled down and placed her on the ground so McG could get a good look at her. She was pale and her skin glistened with perspiration in the moonlight. McG was frowning as he took her vitals. I watched him pull her sweater and shirt up so he could have access to her dressing. He lifted up the edge of it and took a long look before sealing it again. He glanced at me in concern before placing his hand soothingly on her forehead.

"Your incision is inflamed, Jaz, and you're running a little bit of a fever. I'm going to give you three medications. One that should bring your fever down, an antibiotic, and then some morphine to help with your pain."

She still hadn't opened her eyes but she did nod to let him know she heard him. He pushed up the arm of her shirt and injected the medications one after the other.

"Ten minutes at most and you should start feeling better, okay?"

She nodded to him but still didn't open her eyes. He motioned me a short distance away.

"Her heart rate is up. Way up. Fever is about one hundred and two and her respiratory rate is higher than I would like. Could be the infection, and some of it probably is, but I'm guessing pain is the more likely cause."

"So you're hoping to see improvement within the next hour?"

"Yes, if it's pain, her vitals will start improving. If it isn't I don't expect we'll see much change."

I nodded my head and walked back to where Jaz was laying. Her eyes were still shut but the lines of tension in her face had eased a bit.

"Jaz I'm going to pick you up so that you aren't laying on the cold ground."

I did as I told her and tucked her onto my lap. Her forehead naturally fell forward into the crook of my neck. She was definitely hot. As a distraction, I started to whisper to her about the stars in the sky and felt her relax more as time passed. McG crouched near us and checked her pulse again. He gave me a thumbs up. There had been some improvement. We waited out the rest of the hour while Jaz dozed off and on in my arms.

"Are you feeling any better?" I asked her once I noticed her eyes were open again.

"Mmhmm," she informed me.

I would have liked to let her rest longer but we were sitting ducks out here. With McG's help I got to my feet holding her in my arms. The rest of the team stepped forward and we got Jaz strapped on Preach's back again. We were just about to start moving when Jaz's hand moved so quickly it was a blur. Two silenced gunshots rang out and two enemy soldiers dropped in the distance. Despite being medicated, she had somehow managed to get Preach's gun unholstered and take out the two enemy combatants with no fuss. I looked over at her but her eyes were closed again.

"I felt myself in someone's rifle sights," she slurred.

Clearly a well honed skill if she could sense it while medicated. Unfortunately this meant there would be no further rest breaks. We needed to move forward with all due haste.

Hours passed as we ate up the terrain. We ended up medicating Jaz on the go the next time as her pain hadn't been so extreme. It was about time for her next dose so McG approached Preach to assess her. I heard him talking to her. Some questions got answers and some didn't. He gave her more medication and dropped back to rejoin me.

"Status?"

"Not good. She's too weak now to lift her head from Preach's back and she is flirting with unconciousness. It's a good thing we only have about an hour more to go."

It had been a long road but we were almost there. Somewhere that Jaz could rest. Somewhere the rest of us could relax. Between her capture, torture, and rescue, we hadn't had a chance to decompress. It didn't help that now we were the ones who were, for all intents and purposes, torturing her.

We were in view of the Border when Preach's voice echoed across the open channel, "Medical emergency!"

Those words had both McG and myself moving rapidly to his side. Preach was already kneeling on the ground. Something was definitely wrong. McG took in the situation in five seconds or less and started unwrapping her restraints.

"Grab her Top. She's seizing. We need to get her flat right now."

It was hard to keep a grip on her but we managed to get her down on the ground. I had only seen someone have a seizure once in my career and that was enough for me. Seeing Jaz do the same was upsetting. Fortunately a minute later it stopped. McG continued to assess her while we all waited anxiously for an update. When he finally stood he motioned Preach and I to step away with him while Amir protected her.

"She isn't doing great. Her temperature has hit 104.5. Her surgical incision looks bad. She's septic which is what likely caused the seizure. Things could quickly deteriorate from here."

"She's still shaking, McG."

"She's shivering because she feels cold but the seizure is over. She's moved into the postictal state. She's going to be confused and disoriented for the next little bit. We need to keep her calm and get her across as soon as she can tolerate it."

We walked back to where she lay and I crouched down to brush her hair out of her face. Her eyes were open but she didn't exactly look aware.

Jaz's POV

I felt weird. Disconnected from my body. Afraid. I would deny that last to anyone else. I usually didn't even admit it to myself but this time I couldn't ignore it. I just wanted to go home.

I was picked up in warm arms. I heard Top's voice telling everyone on the channel that we were taking a 30 minute break and would move to cross the border immediately afterwards.

The sun had come up fully so he took us into an area of shade and sat down holding me close.

"We're almost home, Jaz. You've gotten pretty sick and your body reacted by having a seizure. I'm sure you feel weird and that's why."

I tried pulling myself closer to him using his vest but I was uncoordinated. However he read my mind and pulled me in towards the warmth of his body. Wrapped his arms tightly around me sharing his strength. Even though I had sworn just seconds ago not to do this I couldn't help myself.

"I'm scared," I whispered to him.

"Of course you are, Jaz. You're smart enough to know you're in trouble. I realize you don't like relying on others, even us, but we are going to get you safe. By this time tomorrow you'll be feeling better. I promise."

Tears began to slowly drip down my face and he tightened his arms further. He knew he couldn't do anything else for me other than be there. His silence was actually reassuring. He wasn't letting this mission get to him and he wasn't letting my tears get to him either. I wasn't even sure why I was so emotional. I was normally not a crier because it never made things better. Just gave me a headache and a stuffy nose. I felt him wipe away the wetness. Much to my surprise I was feeling a little better. At least better mentally. Physically I still felt like crap but I was well aware everything that could be done for me had been done.

"Ready to hit the road?" he asked.

I definitely wasn't but I would never say such a thing. I nodded against him.

"We're going to cross the border and go two additional clicks and we'll have help waiting for us. You just need to hang in until we get there. By the way, Jaz, that is a direct order."

His tone startled a small smile out of me. I was quickly strapped to Preach's back again. My thoughts began to wander and I found myself thinking that I was going to owe him quite a Christmas gift for carrying me across this Country.

We moved out cautiously knowing that border crossings had a tendency to be where things went wrong. Fortunately there were no problems this time so I let the tension in my body dissolve and allowed myself to sink into the beckoning darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: We have finally arrived at the end of the story. I hope you enjoy this last little bit. I have several more stories either completed or in the works but I think I'll take a break from torturing Jaz for a week or so and enjoy reading the works of others instead.

McG's POV

We finally made it to the medical chopper where the supplies Jaz desperately needed were located. Top and I quickly unstrapped her limp form and placed her on on the waiting gurney. She had slipped into unconsciousness a short time ago. A blessing for her since she no longer felt the pain of her injuries but something that caused the rest of us a great deal of anxiety. The medics quickly moved to get an IV started to push fluids while I gave them the run down of all she had been through since our mission had originally started. They immediately started her on a much stronger antibiotic.

"McG, go with her. We'll meet you on base," Top yelled over the helicopter blades.

I nodded at him and turned my attention back to Jaz. We quickly loaded her aboard and I jumped on with the medics for the quick flight. I always was grateful to see our base after a long mission but this time it was even more appreciated. We would now have access to state of the art monitoring, medications, and equipment that just weren't available in the field.

I stayed by her side for hours as she was unloaded, checked over, worked on, and settled into a room. About fifteen minutes after I finally dropped wearily into a chair, the rest of the team crowded into the small space. They had clearly come here as soon as they had gotten off the truck.

Dalton's POV

My first glimpse of Jaz, since she had been loaded into the helicopter, was a relief. She was inclined in a hospital bed with multiple IV lines running. A monitor tracked her vitals rather than doing it the old fashioned way as McG had forced to do. She was where she needed to be. Safe for the first time in days.

"How is she?" I asked McG quietly.

"Stabilizing. They're pushing fluids to help with her blood pressure, giving her another unit of packed red blood cells, and she's now on a strong antibiotic. Her condition is classified as guarded. Barring anything catastrophic she should be home with us in a few days but it will be a few weeks, at least, before she's medically cleared to return to duty."

"Understood. Why don't you guys grab some rack time and I'll stay with her?"

I could feel the glances going on between my team members while I looked at Jaz.

"Respectfully, Top, I speak for everyone here when I say we aren't leaving until we see her awake and stable," McG informed me.

I looked up and absorbed the seriousness of their expressions. They weren't going anywhere. I couldn't blame them. I wasn't going anywhere either.

As we waited for her to wake up, images were rolling through my mind. Quiet times together looking at the stars. Adrenaline filled mission moments. Watching her sight down her rifle and hit every target she selected. The tears and devastation on her face as she held Elijah's body in her arms. The laughter and smiles when I talked her into line dancing with me on one of our team nights off base. Her hanging in chains barely alert enough to register what was going on around her. The last one was the hardest one to remember. I wanted the next image to be of her waking up and knowing she was safe.

Hours stretched by with the guys laid out on the floor getting some much needed rest. The nursing staff were being more than accomodating considering they literally had to step over them in order to check on Jaz. I had heard the nurses' whispers in the hallway. Envious that she had so many good looking guys who weren't willing to leave her side. Wondering what exactly she had that made her so special. I could have told them that it wasn't any one thing. She was the total package. Brave, strong, determined, and when she wasn't in soldier mode, so breathtakingly beautiful it made my back teeth ache. She completed our family.

Back in the beginning, I knew McG and Elijah had been skeptical about adding a female to our dynamic. Several snide comments had been made about needing to add feminine hygiene products to our bathroom supplies. But once they met her their tunes had changed. She had captivated Elijah on day one with her spunk and on day two she had McG smiling and laughing as she slaughtered him at the shooting range. Preach had always had great respect for women who chose to be in the military. He had watched her closely over the first week and told me he could tell that she was someone with a lot of history in her background. I knew from his tone that he didn't mean tea parties and dress up. He clearly respected her ability to survive such adversity. By the end of her first month with us, she completed our team so well that I knew I never wanted to let her go. This was the closest we had ever been to losing her.

I was leaning my cheek against the rail of her bed when I saw her eyelashes flutter. A few seconds later she opened her eyes and I was the first thing she saw. She even managed a small smile for me.

"Looks like we made it."

"I told you we'd been in worse positions before."

"I'm going to be okay?"

"You're going to be fine, Jaz. Not as quickly as you'd like, but before you know it you'll be back to yourself."

"Thanks. Everyone else is okay too?"

"You can't see them but they are sleeping on the floor around your bed. No one wanted to leave until they saw you awake."

"If they want to see me they should get their eyes open because I'm going to fall back asleep."

"It's the pain medication. They'll wait."

She yawned and her eyes started to close again.

"They shouldn't have to wait, Top."

But they would be waiting because she had drifted back off to a comfortable slumber. I looked over my shoulder to make sure the hallway was clear and brushed a kiss across her forehead before putting my lips close to her ear.

"They'll always wait for you Jaz. And, while I hope nothing like this ever happens again, know that I will always come for you. Always. I won't lose you. We have too much to live for."

As I sat back in my chair I saw the corners of her lips tilt upwards. She wouldn't remember my exact words but she had heard me. Heard the feelings that I normally couldn't acknowledge. Ones that someday we would be exploring.


End file.
